Another CLASSIC Cannon. 10 Plus Stars. 4th Season finale.
Popular husband and wife team Bob and Esther Mitchell wrote this exceptional episode, and without too much surprise, wrote for PERRY MASON.
Lovely Dana Wynter, who played victims in past episodes, is cast, and very convincingly, as one lethal lady. Wynter had just appeared on MEDICAL CENTER. The (censured) story is she achieved her business wealth and status by stealing from her clients. She hires Cannon to find her runaway niece (well played by Lee Purcell), but not because she's missing --- she saw her aunt kill a pesty blackmailer. About as good as it gets, and Dana Wynter is tops in this role. She should have gotten an Emmy nod.
This could have been a PERRY MASON episode that the Mitchells may have put aside many years earlier. It has that feel. This was a common practice among many writers. I believe some of the stories on the show were redone by writers Bill Conrad worked with at Warner Brothers ABC/tv in the 60s. There was a lot of rich material ready to be updated.
You know the crew was having fun; William Conrad does a solid stunt down a beach cliff, still showing he's a man for all seasons. Listen closely if there are any giggles? I am sure there was applause and a gracious bow after the director yelled cut. This probably was filmed at Malibu.
Great cast at work here. Alex Rocco is the perfect partner in crime, also playing a goofy drunk --OR IS HE? Watch carefully. Look for gritty Abe Vagoda, and veteran James Wainwright. Lee Purcell is spot on in her role, and you really feel sorry for her.
Is that an old rubber MISSION IMPOSSIBLE mask Alex Rocco is holding? Watch very carefully.
Edward Abroms directed, who handled many episodes for KOJAK and POLICE STORY. He was a good friend of Bill Conrad, later directing his next series NERO WOLF, and then JAKE AND THE FATMAN.
The big secret in Hollywood (that everyone knew) was the FATMAN resembled Frank Cannon in many ways. Let's hope METV runs the show some day.
Definitely a ratings grab as the fourth season comes to a close. SEASON 4 EPISODE 24 remastered color CBS dvd box set. Released 2016.
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